parmiter



No. 608,396. Paten ted Aug. 2, I898;

P. J PARMITEBQ BOOT TREE 0R STBETCHEB.

(Applicfliqn filed Nov. 8, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 sha y-sham I.

Witnesses No. 608,396. Pafented Aug. 2, I898.

P. J. P ABM ITEB. BOOT TREE 0R STRETCHER.

(Application filed Nov. 8, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

UNITED S E PATENT Enron;

PHILIP JosEPn PARMITER, on ANSTY, ENGLAND.

BOOT TREE OR STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION, forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,396, dated August 2, 1898. Application filed'hl'ovem'ber- 8,1897. Serial No. 657,864. (No model.) Patented in England May 14, 1896, N0.10,36'7.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP J OSEPH PARMI-l TER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Ansty, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boot Trees or Stretchers, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No.10,367, dated May 14, 1896,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to trees or stretchers for boots and shoes.

A boot treeor stretcher constructed according to' my invention comprises two levers of angle or L. shape, which are placed back to back in such a manner that when the tree or stretcher is inserted in-a boot with one arm of one leverin the toe of the boot and one arm of theother lever in the heel of the boot and the other two armsare pulled toward one another the desired stretching will be eifected.

To enable my invention to be fully understood, I will describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of iny improved boot tree or stretcher arranged in conjunction with a boot, which is indicated by dotted lines. Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations of a slightly-modified construction of stretcher, the said two figures respectively illustrating the positions of the parts before and after the stretching pressure is applied; and Fig. 4 is a plan view. Fig. 5 is an elevation illustrating a further modification which is especially adapted foruse in connection with jack-boots.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the several figures.

a b are the two levers, the former of which has two arms a of, substantially at right angles to each other, and the latter two arms 1) b also disposed substantially at right angles to each other. These two levers are pivoted together at c in such a manner that when thearins a b are close togetherthe arms a b .will be more or less inalinement, and the arms of each lever extend on the same side of a vertical line drawn through their point of pivoting.- The arms ct b" at their free ends are shaped to form handles, and the arm a of the lever a is shaped to enter the toe of the boot or has a toe-piece d fixed upon it, while the arm b? of the lever b'isadaptedto bear against the heel of the boot.

The .toepiece d is detachably fitted onto the end of the arm a to permit of removing it and replacing it by others of different size.

In order to prevent the arm 11 from bearing too much upon one part of the boot, I advantageously use in conjunction with my boot-stretcher a loose plate of metal e, which fits more or less around the heel and is put into the boot before the stretcher is applied.

It will be obvious that when my improved stretcher is placed in a boot-for instance, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and the arms a b of the levers are drawn together-say to the position shown by the dotted lines in the said figurethe arm b through the medium of the plate 6, will bear against the heel of the boot and the toe-piece will be pushed tightly into the toe of the boot,thereby thoroughly stretching the same.

When the arms a, a are drawn together, the effect is to lower the point of pivoting until it is substantially in the horizontal plane of the ends of the arms a 11 so that the said arms a? 19 act like a toggle-lever, and the strain of said arms is in a substantiallystraight line from the end of one arm through the pivot to the other arm. This produces a very powerful device in which a high degree of power can be exerted to stretch the boot with but a very small exertion of the operator and without any danger of straining the parts.

Suitable means are provided for holding the arms in any position to which they may be moved in stretching a boot. For instance, a strap f may be used, as shown in the draw ings, or a bolt fixed to one arm, say the arm a, and passing through a hole in the other arm I) and provided with a thumb-nut may 'be used, or a link or ring sliding upon the arms a b may be used for the purpose.

. In the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the construction is substantially the same as that hereinbefore described except that the lever a'instead of havinga toe-piece d upon it is formed with a rounded end, so that by pushing a'plug of, say, paper into the toe of theboot pressure may be applied at any desired pointfor instance, as

shown in Fig. lin order to stretch the boot in such a manner as to obviate pressure upon a corn or bunion.

111 using a stretching device constructed as hereinbefore described with a high-top boot diflieulty would be experienced in introducing the apparatus into the boot. I therefore modify the construction of the stretcher, as shown in Fig. 5. In this figure it will be seen that the arms Z) Z) of the lever Z) instead of being rigid relatively with one another are made independent, so that the arm I) may lie against the arm a, while at the same time the arm b can assume a position in alinement with the arms a Z1 when the iatter are placed together.

The connection between the arms I) b to permit of the latter being moved by the former is effected by means of a pawl g, pivoted to the arm I) and adapted to engage with ratchet-teeth 7t formed at the rear end of the arm 11 near to the pivot c. \Vith this arrangement after the stretcher has been introduced into a boot with the parts in the relative positions hereinbelTore indicatedthat is to say, with the arms a I) lying against one another and the arm 11 in line with them-the arm I) can be moved away from the arm (1,, so that the pawl will slip over the teeth 71, and then as the levers a I) are pulled together the stretching will take place in the manner hereinbet'ore described.

It will be obvious that when introducing the stretcher into the boot the arm b when it touches the bottom of the boot, being quite independent of the arm Ii, will move on its pivot, so that it goes into the heel of the boot ready to be acted upon by the arm I) in the manner indicated.

llaving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. A boot-tree comprising two members pivotally connected, each member having a vertically-disposed arm and a horizontallydisposed arm substantially at right angles to the vertical arm, the arms of each member extending on the same side of a vertical line passing through their pivotal connection whereby, by drawing the vertical arms together, the said pivotal connection will be brought substantially into the horizontal plane of the ends of said horizontal arms, substantially as described.

2. A boottree comprising two members pivotally connected together, each member having a vertically-disposed arm and a horizontally-disposed arm, the arms of each member extending on the same side of a vertical line passing through the said pivotal connection, the arms of one of said members being formed separate from each other and adjustably connected together, substantially as described.

A boot-tree comprising two members pivotallyconnectedtogether,eachme1nberbeing provided with a vertically-disposed arm and a horizontally-disposcd arm, the arms of each member extending on the same side of a vertical line passing through said pivotal connection, the arms of one member being formed separately, one of said arms being provided with a ratchet portion and the other with a pawl for engaging said ratchet portion, substantially as described.

PHILIP JOSEPH lARMllEl-t.

Witnesses:

AncnD. BUCHANAN, J. \V. TTAnrwnLL. 

